EU’s 2030 renewable hydrogen goals deemed “overly ambitious” by its spending watchdog
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European Union’s 2030 goals for renewable hydrogen production and demand were “overly ambitious”, according to the bloc’s spending watchdog, the European Court of Auditors (ECA).
ECA said in a report that while the European Commission has taken several positive steps, challenges remain along the hydrogen value chain, and the EU is unlikely to meet its 2030 targets for producing and importing renewable hydrogen.
Stef Blok, the ECA Member in charge of the audit, said, “The EU’s industrial policy on renewable hydrogen needs a reality check. The EU should decide on the strategic way forward towards decarbonization without impairing the competitive situation of key EU industries or creating new strategic dependencies.”
According to the report, the Commission set ambitious targets for renewable hydrogen production and import, which was 10 million tons each by 2030.
ECA said that rather than being based on robust analysis, these targets were based on political will.
It added that member states’ differing ambitions were not always aligned with the targets. In coordinating with the member states and industry, the Commission failed to ensure that all parties were pulling in the same direction.
Read more: EU distributes nearly €3 billion across member states to advance energy projects
However, the auditors commend the Commission for proposing most legal acts promptly- the legal framework is nearly complete and has provided the essential certainty for establishing a new market.
However, the auditors also added that building up an EU hydrogen industry requires massive public and private investment, and the Commission does not have a full overview of the needs or the public funding available.
The auditors urge the Commission to update its hydrogen strategy by focusing on market incentives, EU funding priorities, and the choice of industries to support. They emphasize considering the geopolitical impact of producing hydrogen in the EU versus importing it.
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